MUSSELBURGH swimming legend Stewart King has died at the age of 83.

He was famed for winning a competition to swim the Firth of Forth from the harbour at Musselburgh to the Bass Rock at the age of just 10.

The trophy he won can be seen at Musselburgh Sports Centre – among other silverware engraved with his name.

Mr King, of Mayfield Crescent, passed away at Drummohr Care Home in Wallyford after suffering from dementia for six years.

A Fisherrow lad, he was brought up on New Street, attending Fisherrow School and then Musselburgh Grammar School.

It was in the sea at Fisherrow that he honed his swimming skills as a boy and went on to swim for Musselburgh Swimming Club.

At the age of 18, he undertook national service with the Scots Guards.

Mr King, a qualified lifeguard and first aider, taught hundreds of young people in Musselburgh and Portobello how to swim and ran Learn to Swim Week at the former Loretto swimming pool for a few years.

He played football locally in the position of goalkeeper and was a lifelong Musselburgh Athletic Football Club fan.

In his later career, he went on to work in the licensed trade in the bar at the Ship Hotel at Port Seton and Auld Brig in Musselburgh.

Prior to his retiral, Mr King worked in security with the civil service at Edinburgh Castle and museum, where he enjoyed meeting and sharing stories with visitors.

He is a former president of Musselburgh Municipal Bowling Club at Fisherrow Links, where he played and organised events.

He also played in Musselburgh’s pub domino league.

Mr King and his wife Lily, who is from Craigmillar in Edinburgh, met at the dancing in the Catholic Hall at Musselburgh and were married in Richmond Church, Craigmillar, a marriage that was to last 62 years.

A grandfather-of-four, Mr King is survived by Lily, daughters Connie and Vikki, and son-in-law Scott.

A funeral service was held at Seafield Crematorium.

Daughter Connie paid tribute to the care her father received at Midlothian Community Hospital and then Drummohr Care Home.